Magnetic Memory Interconnection Cleaning via Gas Mixture Plasma
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming interconnection lines and fabricating magnetic memory devices face challenges in achieving improved electrical characteristics and reliability, particularly due to issues with chlorine residue causing corrosion and hydrogen diffusion affecting magnetic tunnel junctions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a cleaning process using a gas mixture with a hydrogen-containing first gas and a reactive second gas, such as oxygen or nitrogen, as a plasma source, to remove chlorine residues and prevent hydrogen diffusion, thereby enhancing the reliability of interconnection lines and magnetic memory devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cleaning process using hydrogen-containing gas is performed to remove chlorine residues, then electrical characteristics are improved, but hydrogen diffusion into magnetic tunnel junctions causes deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a two-gas mixture system where oxygen or nitrogen acts as an intermediary substance. The oxygen/nitrogen gas reacts with chlorine residues to form removable compounds, while the hydrogen component cleans the surface. This intermediary mechanism allows chlorine removal without direct hydrogen-chlorine contact that would cause harmful hydrogen diffusion into the magnetic tunnel junctions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the cleaning process parameters by changing from pure hydrogen gas to a mixed gas composition (hydrogen plus oxygen or nitrogen). This parameter change alters the chemical reaction pathways during cleaning, enabling effective chlorine residue removal while controlling hydrogen activity to prevent unwanted diffusion into sensitive magnetic layers.
2Reliability
If conventional cleaning methods are used, then manufacturing process is simple, but chlorine residues cause corrosion and reduce reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the cleaning gas from conventional single-gas systems to a specific two-gas mixture containing hydrogen plus oxygen or nitrogen. This parameter modification enables simultaneous achievement of thorough chlorine residue removal and prevention of hydrogen-induced damage, improving corrosion resistance without requiring multiple separate cleaning steps.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach improves the electrical characteristics and reliability of semiconductor devices by effectively removing chlorine residues and preventing hydrogen-induced deterioration, leading to better performance in magnetic memory devices.
Implementation Method 1
the cleaning process is performed using a gas mixture having a first gas and a second gas, wherein the first gas includes a hydrogen element (H), and the second gas includes a source gas that is reactive to the hydrogen element
Implementation Method 2
at least some of the hydrogen from the first gas reacts with the chlorine-containing gas to form hydrochloric acid (HCl)
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are methods of fabricating a magnetic memory device including forming magnetic tunnel junction patterns on a substrate, forming an interlayered insulating layer on the substrate to cover the magnetic tunnel junction patterns, forming a conductive layer on the interlayered insulating layer, patterning the conductive layer to form interconnection patterns electrically connected to the magnetic tunnel junction patterns, and performing a cleaning process on the interconnection patterns. The cleaning process is performed using a gas mixture of a first gas and a second gas. The first gas contains a hydrogen element (H), and the second gas contains a source gas different from that of the first gas.